Thornbridge Annual Charity Garden Party: 4th July 2011

Thornbridge Annual Charity Garden Party: 4th July 2011

This is sooo late…. But I still wanted to tell you about the fabulous day that I had on the 4th July 2011 at one of my very favourite venues.. the truly wonderful Thornbridge Hall .. where the strap line really does live up to the experience & it really is “ never ordinary”.

Emma and Jim Harrison open their stunning home and gardens to hold the Annual Charity Garden Party. This is not only a fantastic event for such worthy causes, but gives everyone a chance to actually view the inside of the Hall. It’s such a unique experience as you are made to feel so welcome & Emma’s hand-written notes everywhere give such a personal touch.

Now my blog is usually surrounding my work with Unique Wedding Planning & tips & ideas… but I thought it would be a good to mention the other work I do in my spare time … I offered my services to Thornbridge Hall to help with the charity side of the event. I was willing to take on any role & was given the job of welcoming people to Thornbridge & conducting some market research. My role was to find out where everyone had heard about the event in order to help with the marketing for 2012.






It was a really great opportunity to get involved, meet all the guests and most of all it was really rewarding representing such fantastic causes. What better way to spend a glorious Summer Day?

This year some of the charities the event supported were: Lainey K Foundation, Helens Trust, Macmillan Cancer Care, Boots for Africa, and the National Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline.

I would highly recommend it as a great family day out & something you should put in your 2013 diary now!

Thanks to Karl @ http://www.stancliffestudios.com for capturing & sharing the day with these great images & to Jackie Morgan at the wonderful Thornbridge Hall @ http://www.thornbridgehall.co.uk/ for letting me take part ...

'Something Blue'

"Something Blue..."

As the famous tradition states; 'Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue'. It seems to me that by adding the palette of aqua blue it can add a glamourous edge to your special day. This look is perfect for any bride wanting to create the WOW factor with a cool splash of classic blue that will inject elegance and cultivated beauty in to any wedding.

Why stop there? We all know that diamonds will always be a girls best friend (taking Chocolate out the equation - of course!) so why not frost your day in aqua diamonds? Now, we all know its not always possible to shower your guests in the real thing but I have handpicked some excellent alternatives to really make your day sparkle:

'Love Bouquets'

www.lovebouquets.co.uk

'Love Bouquets' creates stunning one-off bouquets that will compliment your theme perfectly, not only do they create original pieces they can also personalise it using pieces belonging to the bride; why not convert your 'something old' in to 'something new'?

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'Glitzy Secrets'

www.Glitzysecrets.com

The Glitzy Secret's collection provides beautiful jewelry inspired from era's in the past, why not complete your perfect dress with some jewel-dropping chandelier earrings that will stun all your guests, and not to mention - look fab in your photo album!

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'Cakes by Beth'

www.cakesbybeth.co.uk

These beautifully hand crafted cakes are truly stunning and would create a stunning centerpiece to your wedding.

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No wedding will ever be the same with Unique but diamonds will always be the stone of everlasting love - which is not a bad impression to leave your guests with is it?

Joy x

Sarah & Tony: Dore Church & Thornbridge Hall

Sarah & Tony: 28th May 2011: The Best of Both Worlds (& a bit more!)

First off all, I make no apologies for the longer than normal Blog & the more than usual amount of images...I just couldn't choose...So enjoy!

I first met Sarah & Tony on a very dreary November day at an extremely dreary Wedding Fayre.

I was soon jolted awake by Tony, who being a man who says what he thinks, told me in no uncertain terms what he though of me not replying to his emails! Well...lucky for me, it wasn't me ... It doesn't matter who it was, because as it turned out, it was a really great ice-breaker!

You can't imagine how disappointed I was (read devastated!!), when they had to leave. Their young daughter who less than impressed with the Fayre, decided it was time for them to go.... and they'd just started telling me about their wedding, planned for the following May at one of my very favourite venues, Thornbridge Hall! Thornbridge is just one of those places that I instantly fell in love with. When I first started Unique, I did lots of market research on many venues & I knew that I always wanted to work at there, as for many reasons, it falls top of most of my lists..

I was absolutely thrilled (& glad I wasn't on Skype!), when Tony called the following February, to say that they would like some support with their final wedding plans. For couples who are having a large wedding or holding it an unusual venue, involving many suppliers, it is normally within 4-6 months of the big day that they will request some help with the completion of their planning. My Best of Both Worlds Package is designed with this in mind & can be adapted to suit each couples needs.

I arranged to meet them at their home & we covered all the planning that they had done to date & talked about what was left to do. This included sourcing all the outstanding suppliers, building a plan that managed them all, setting up the venue the day before the wedding & then coordinating all the elements on the actual day, including the set up at the church.

From this, I put together a proposal that covered all the above & I'm thrilled to say that they hired me immediately. Over the next few months I met them many times & kept them updated with the plan as it changed, making sure that all the suppliers involved where kept in the loop.

I know from the feedback that I've had from them & the largest box of chocolates ever (yes I did eat all of them!), that they were absolutely thrilled with how their wedding day came together. From my point of view, it was extremely hard work, but an absolute privilege to both to have been a part of such an incredible day & to work with such amazing suppliers at a stunning venue ...What more could a Wedding Planner ask for ?!!

With major thanks to Jo & Simon at http://www.shoot-lifestyle.co.uk/ for capturing the day with totally stunning photography.

To Mat Hepplestone at http://www.redfloral.co.uk/ for the amazing flowers.

And finally to Jackie at http://www.thornbridgehall.co.uk/home.html where there truly is, always something different!

Beccy & James: Christian's at The Beauchief

Beccy & James: 21st May 2011: Outsourcing Service

There were only 3 weeks to go before her wedding when I first met Beccy and on realising that the Events Coordinator she had been dealing with had left, she promptly burst in to tears .... Not a great start I thought! (One of the things that I would always recommend to venues is that when a key member of their planning staff leaves, they need to inform all the couples who that person had been dealing with, to prevent & manage some of the shock!).

I had to work quickly & calmly to ensure that I re-gained Beccy's trust & eliminated any doubts or stress, so near to her big day.

I started by covering a run through of her day and produced an itinerary, detailing everything that needed to happen & at what time. I don't mind admitting (after the event of course), that at this stage, there were some gaps in the plan! There was no white linen, there were definitely not 100 Martini Glasses for the cocktails .... neither was there a clear plan for the marquee required to house the additional guests on the outside terrace.

The point is, by producing the plan & walking through the day, it was easy to identify what was still left to do, what needed ordering & what staff needed to be involved on the day. Beccy & her husband James, were having the works .. a cocktail hour & casino in the bar & VIP area, a sit down wedding breakfast for over 120 people in The Ballroom & marquee & a large evening reception... This meant that at some stage of the celebrations, most of the downstairs areas at Christian's would be used, so this became a team effort.

Well..at the risk of being boring & saying the same thing, it's only by having the plan in place, that everyone is clear (including the couple), what needs to happen to make their dreams come to true on their Wedding Day.

Come the big day, I can honestly say that they had a ball & that Beccy will be remembered as one of the happiest brides that I've ever seen. I had a lovely message afterwards to say thank-you & that their day had been absolutely perfect...

The last 2 posts have been my first weddings using my Outsourcing Service. I hope you've enjoyed reading about them.

I also hope that from a couples perspective, it gives you confidence that with the right people in place, everything can be pulled together... even at short notice. From a venue's perspective, it hopefully gives you an insight as to how sometimes, outside help can be extremely valuable & that having external support, doesn't always mean someone working on the outside of your team

With thanks to Mike Leng for the photography @ http://www.mike-leng.co.uk

Jenny & Jonny: Christian's at The Beauchief

Jenny & Jonny:14th May 2011: My first outsourcing service wedding !

Well, following on from my last post, this was the first chance that I had to put the idea of providing an outsourcing service to a venue, in to action & I couldn't have asked for a nicer couple to work with!

I first met Jenny & Jonny less than 2 weeks before their big day & to say they were nervous of having a new person to manage their wedding at such a late stage would be an understatement! It's such an emotional time for couples, especially in the last few weeks ... (another reason to have a planner that is with you from beginning to end!).

I started by going through with Jenny & Jonny, step by step, how their day was going to run. We covered what suppliers had been booked, what was happening at what time & from the first meeting, I produced a plan of the day, so they were confident that I had everything in hand. Having a detailed plan not only allows the venue to coordinate the whole wedding, it also allows couples to see exactly what they can expect. They can then work through everything & make sure they actually do want things at a certain time or in a certain way! ... Sometimes, it's only by seeing everything in black & white, before the event, that they are able to really think about the flow of their day & question whether it is what you they are trying to achieve.

As I was also working with a completely new team @ Christian's, the pre-planning meetings, utilising the day plan, really enabled them to pull together, with everyone understanding what part they had to play. From a venue's perspective, successful weddings are made by lots of individuals, from all the teams involved, understanding what's needed, being prepared & giving a seamless service on the day...

The end result is that the couple get a fantastic service all round, whether it be from the bar, the kitchen or the coordinator ...

Everyone worked together to ensure that Jenny & Jonny's wedding was a great success & in their own words, in the thank-you that they sent ..Their whole day ran smoothly from start to finish & they couldn't have wished for a better day... :-)

Thanks to Deborah Stone Photography @ http://www.deborahstone.co.uk/ for the images & fabulous album Christian's now has to showcase their weddings & to Kate from Pretty Chairs @ http://www.prettychairs.co.uk/ for the venue styling.

Venue Outsourcing: An Additional Service from Unique

So What is Venue Outsourcing?

The background to my decision to offer a outsourcing service through Unique, lies in the fact that I've spent my entire working life in the customer service industry & for the last eleven years of my career I was head of operations in a large contact centre. As part of my role, I looked after the relationship between the business & it's customers & was responsible for making sure not only that we were delivering excellent customer service, but that everything was done with maximum efficiency.

Well......in that environment, it's hard to be efficient when the phone isn't constantly ringing & you have staff who, with the best will in the world, aren't occupied 100% of the time. To fill this time, most places will "outsource" their services to other companies to plug the gaps, answering the phone on their behalf. So... when I was initially approached by Christian's @ The Beauchief a couple of months ago, to help them grow their events & manage their existing weddings, it made perfect sense to incorporate this in to my business, working it around my existing commitments..

For more Unique venues that haven't got weddings every weekend of the year, it doesn't make sense for them to have someone employed full-time, but they still need a person they can rely on to show couples around the venue & manage the actual wedding day on their behalf. There are also the occasions where a venue will need someone in to cover sickness / holidays & ensure the bridal party gets a seamless service.

It's a win/ win for both parties, as the venue gets a wedding professional with experience, on a very ad-hoc basis which will suit their needs & I get to fit this around my current commitments, ensuring that I am occupied for 100% of my time...which I LOVE!! Alongside all the Unique weddings & The Wedding Planning College..I have plenty to keep me occupied. It also makes my work less seasonal, as it gives me the opportunity to work all the year round, focussing on Christmas events, once the wedding season has passed.

I've already had a conversation with a very prestigious venue about extending this service...so watch this space..!!

Thanks to Mark Tierney @ http://www.tierneyphotography.co.uk/ & Deborah Stone @ http://www.deborahstone.co.uk/ for the images...

Top Tips for a Great Wedding ....

Top Tips For a Great Wedding :

It's so easy, when you've just got engaged, to get caught up in the whirl-wind of wedding fayres & looking at venues & suppliers, without ever really coming to any decisions... There's so much choice & the prices can vary massively, so to begin with, you need to ask yourselves the following questions .....

• What you really like about weddings ?.
• What you really dislike about weddings?.

• What is the total amount of money that you want to spend on your wedding?.

• What do you want people to say about your wedding?

By answering the questions above, you can narrow down the options & start making some decisions. To do this, you would normally start by breaking down your budget & deciding exactly what you intend to have on your wedding day. So, for example, if the average spend on a reception is around 40% of your budget, ask yourself if that will be enough to ensure you have all the things that you want .... If the most important thing is that you want the full works in terms of canapés, a sit-down wedding breakfast, with wines, champagne toast etc.. you might have to forfeit something else, that is less important to you both.

Once you have decided exactly what money you have to spend on each of the elements that you require, you need to decide on a theme for your wedding. By this, I don't mean fancy dress ... it's more about what colour schemes do you both like & in terms of a venue, do you like old buildings or do you prefer the more contemporary style?

Once you have a theme in mind, stick to it & ensure that everything mirrors it, from the invitations, through to the favours & everywhere in-between.

Here's what to do next:

• Find a venue that can accommodate your needs. This may either be for a packaged wedding or a venue that offers more flexibility.

• Ensure the venue matches both your style & budget.

• Book early to secure any special deals they might be offering.

• To get maximum value for your money, book a mid-week day or a Friday.

• Engage suppliers that are flexible & can deliver to the style & price you require.

• Stick to your original plan .. don't get pressured in to doing things that don't suit you .. you'll regret it on the day.

Consider hiring a planner. The misconception is that this is a massive additional expense to your budget .. However, if you find a good planner, this shouldn't be the case. Most planners start with a free consultation, where you can get to know each other & they should listen to everything that you wish to have for your wedding. From that, they should produce a proposal for you that documents everything that they will do for you & the associated fees that they will charge. A planner will be used to working with suppliers & will generally be able to negotiate discounts on your behalf. You'll also have the added advantage of an expert being on-hand, from the moment you hire them, normally to the time you have your first dance.

The Wedding Planning College

WHY SET-UP THE WEDDING PLANNING COLLEGE? 

After being inundated with requests for instant advice & practical training, Lisa Hilliard (from Lisa Hilliard Wedding Planning) & myself, have joined forces to launch The Wedding Planning College

There will be few weddings as prestigious as Prince William & Kate Middleton, but with the number of weddings expected to increase, it won’t only be the rich & famous that will look to hire the services of a wedding planner. However, wedding planning is unregulated & there are no mandatory qualifications required to set-up a wedding planning business.

The Wedding Planning College offers Training Events, Mentoring & On-going business support

WHAT DOES THE WEDDING PLANNING COLLEGE OFFER?

The Wedding Planning College prides itself on offering real, honest & professional advice through training events, personal mentoring & long term business support. The graduates from the college will be encouraged to become part of an on-going network that aims to bring best practice to their businesses.

Watching films such as The Wedding Planner can sometimes paint an inaccurate picture of what’s really involved in planning the most important day in someone’s life. This kind of romantic media results in many people aspiring to wedding planning as their dream job.... which it can be ... but it’s also a lot of hard work, both emotionally & physically! 

Lisa & I will personally mentor people to achieve their dream but our support will be based on practical learning & experience. We believe that as established and trading wedding planners we can offer real training & advice to enable people to become successful planners.

The Courses have been designed by REAL Wedding Planners

WHERE & WHEN WILL THE TRAINING TAKE PLACE?

Using the fabulous training facilities, on the 6^th Floor of the new CASA Hotel, in Chesterfield, we aim to attract people from the Midlands & Yorkshire to our “Train to Plan” two day training events. Each event will take place over a weekend and includes a mixture of factual based learning, individual exercises, group activities & guest speakers, from the industry. Lisa & I will guide & mentor delegates through each session, offering honest advice, sharing real examples and working with individuals to inspire their own wedding planning business development.

The new CASA Hotel in Chesterfield

WHAT TRAINING & BUSINESS SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE?

Training sessions will include “Setting up a wedding planning business” & “How to plan & coordinate a Wedding”. The first ones are due to be held on the 1^st/2^nd October & the 5^th/ 6^th November. 

There are opening offers for the first 16 delegates. Please check the website for details:

www.theweddingplanningcollege.co.uk

Lisa said “There were no specific practical wedding planning courses when I started my business & I went in to it somewhat blind. General courses helped with the business side of things & an on-line course taught me an overview of the wedding planning industry, but no-one actually told me what I really needed to know”

All Train to Plan events offer REAL honest advice, guidance & support

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are extremely grateful to Mark Tierney from Tierney Photography for the amazing images for our new web-site & to Lynsey Wells from Bimbo Design for creating the look of our new brand.